Volumes up 10% at Marseille Fos

The Port of Marseille Fos had a strong 2017, with container volumes rising by 10% to hit 1.4m teu.

The double-digit increase at the Fos deepsea terminals was aided by three new services at Marseille.

Turnover increased by 7.3% to €160m and capital expenditure on infrastructure approached €50m, including the development of 55 ha of logistics park surfaces and completion of works enabling the reopening of a giant drydock for the repair and refit of latest-generation cruise and cargo vessels.

Agreements for warehouses of up to 70,000m2were signed with various commercial property developers and logistics providers.

The 2018 capex budget has been set at €82m, featuring the launch of works to connect the two Fos container terminals via a quay extension, and improvements to the Marseille and Fos railheads.

In 2018, development of logistics and industrial surfaces is scheduled to total 101 ha. This includes 12 ha earmarked as the location of the largest Chinese-owned factory in France, following the signing of a letter of intent with Quechen Silicon Chemical, the world’s third biggest producer of silica for use in making ‘green’ vehicle tyres.

The port is also continuing a string of environmental initiatives, including further ‘cold ironing’ facilities for ferries, installation of 16,000 sq m of solar panels in the Marseille harbour, reduced port dues for ‘green’ vessels under the Environmental Ship Index and membership of the LNG Focus Group – following the MoU signed last July – under which major world ports are working to promote LNG as a marine fuel.